St Elizabeth Technical High School’s (STETHS) schoolboy Sachin Dennis outpaced his older rivals to win the men’s 100 metres at the Jamaica Olympic Association/Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association at the National Stadium today (May 22). 

Running in lane five in heat eight of the event, Dennis streaked through the pack in the middle of the race to win the heat going away, in a race that had Dexter Lee and Jazeel Murphy two well-recognised sprinters and who both represented Titians International. 

Dennis was crowned winner as his time of 10.15 seconds placed him ahead of Nigel Ellis of MVP Track Club who did 10.25 and Oshane Bailey of SprinTec who clocked 10.30. Ellis and Bailey ran in heat nine, which was the last for the men’s 100 metres. 

Roneisha McGregor, representing the University of the West Indies (UWI) won the women’s 100 and 200 metres event within minutes of each other. Running in the last of the three heats in the women’s 100 metres, McGregor came through the pack late to win, while in the 200 metres she battled with Shimayra Williams of Elite Performance throughout the race, but held on for the victory in the only heat. 

In the 100 metres, McGregor clocked 11.37 seconds, with  Shockoria Wallace of MVP Track Club finishing second in 11.41 and Jodean Williams of Racers Track Club third in 11.50. Wallace participated in heat 2 and Williams in heat three. 

In the 200 metres, McGregor clocked 22.99 seconds as Elite Performances’ Williams, who had earlier won the women’s 100 metres hurdles, finished second in 23.06 and India’s Srabani Nanda who trains at MVP, third in 23.32. 

The men’s 200 metres was won by the unattached Tyquando Tracey who allowed his good start in heat five, to slip and was passed by Brendon Rodney and Romario Williams both of SprinTec. Tracey, however, battled gallantly in the final 10 metres to win at the line. 

That was the fastest of the five heats as Tracey clocked 20.47 seconds, Williams 20.15 and Williams 20.55. 

Candice McLeod of UWI captured the women’s 400 metres, running in the last of two heats. She ran a steady pace throughout the race to win comfortably in 51.12 seconds ahead of Toyea Jenkins of SpinTec who did 51.54 and Tiffany James-Rose of Cameron Blazers who did 51.66 with all three competing in the same heat. 

The men’s 400 metres went to Demish Gaye of SprinTec, who came through in the final 20 metres to win the fourth and final heat in 45.84 seconds with national record holder Rusheen McDonald of MVP getting second in 46.06 and Akani Slater of GC Foster College ending third in 46.15. McDonald ran in heat three and Slater in heat four. 

In the women’s 100 metres hurdles, Elite Performance’s Williams was out of the blocks quickly and maintained her momentum throughout to win the only heat in 12.83 seconds with SprinTec’s Yanique Thompson finishing second in 13.11 and GC Foster’s Shanette Allison third in 13.88. 

Rasheed Braodbell of MVP won the only heat of the men’s 110 metres hurdles in 13.10 seconds after being in a duel with clubmate Ronald Levy from midway through the race. Levy clocked 13.29 with Norman Pittersgill also of MVP third in 13.98. 

The men’s 800 metres was won by Cuban Jorge Liranzo who trains locally at Cameron Blazers. He took the lead from the gun and never relinquished it, to win in 1:51.24 seconds, ahead of Dennick Luke, who did 1:51.28 and Taj-Leon Wisdom who did 1:53.46. Luke and Wisdom participated for GC Foster.